Project Overview
Commodities
- Agronomic: annual ryegrass, buckwheat, clovers, corn, hemp, oats, peas (field, cowpeas), sugarbeets, sunflower, vetches
- Fruits: apples, berries (strawberries), Elberberry
- Vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), greens (lettuces), okra, onions, peppers, radishes (culinary), sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips
- Additional Plants: herbs
- Animals: bees, fish, goats, poultry
- Animal Products: eggs, honey
- Miscellaneous: mushrooms
Practices
- Animal Production: pasture renovation, pasture fertility
- Crop Production: agroforestry, alley cropping, beekeeping, biological inoculants, catch crops, continuous cropping, contour farming, cover crops, double cropping, drought tolerance, fertigation, food processing, food processing facilities/community kitchens, forest farming, forest/woodlot management, grafting, greenhouses, high tunnels or hoop houses, intercropping, irrigation, low tunnels, multiple cropping, pollination, pollinator habitat, pollinator health, row covers (for season extension), season extension, seed saving, silvopasture, water management
- Education and Training: decision support system, demonstration, display, extension, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, on-farm/ranch research, technical assistance, workshop, youth education
- Energy: anaerobic digestion
- Farm Business Management: agricultural finance, apprentice/intern training, budgets/cost and returns, business planning, community-supported agriculture, cooperatives, farmers' markets/farm stands, farm succession, grant making, labor/employment, land access, value added, whole farm planning
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, carbon sequestration, habitat enhancement, riparian buffers, soil stabilization, wetlands, wildlife
- Pest Management: biofumigation, biological control, biorational pesticides, botanical pesticides, cultivation, cultural control, economic threshold, field monitoring/scouting, genetic resistance, integrated pest management, mulches - general, prevention, row covers (for pests), sanitation, smother crops, soil solarization, trap crops, weather monitoring
- Production Systems: agroecosystems, aquaponics, hydroponics, organic agriculture, permaculture, transitioning to organic
- Soil Management: composting, green manures, soil analysis, soil microbiology, soil quality/health
- Sustainable Communities: community development, community planning, employment opportunities, food hubs, leadership development, local and regional food systems, partnerships, quality of life, sustainability measures, urban agriculture, urban/rural integration, values-based supply chains
Proposal abstract:
The 2023-24 Central State University –Extension North Central Region SARE Professional Development State Sustainable Agriculture Plan of Work will focus on increasing awareness of sustainable agricultural practices for farmers and ranchers, minorities, and underserved populations. In addition, CSU-E aims to provide impactful hands-on training, demonstrations, farm tours, and workshops that show growers the recommended best management practices to inspire behavior change. These behavior changes will improve the family farm business economy, reduce environmental inputs, increase production yields, reduce crop losses, and better mentally prepare farmers and ranchers for production. Our initiatives for the 2023-24 cycle are: “Adapting to a changing climate and other food system disruptions”, “Underserved Farmers Engaging in Sustainable Agriculture Initiatives”, and "New Extension Professionals Training.”
Project objectives from proposal:
In order to participate in the NCR-SARE regional initiative for 2023-24, one of our state's initiative focus areas will be on “Adapting to a changing climate and other food system disruptions.” Activities under this topic may include workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming. During the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that provides professional development for educators working with farmers and ranchers on programs related to climate change and other major food system disruptions, such as the COVID pandemic.
1) A minimum of 25 farmers & ranchers will adopt practices that help mitigate climate change and reduce disruptions in the supply change such as (but not limited to):
a. Reduction in the use of fossil fuel energy demanding practices through the implementation of fuel-efficient BMPs or growing system efficiencies.
b. Implementation of improved supply chain logistics between buyers and growers through the adoption of new streamlined behavior changes
c. Increased awareness of the issues related to system disruption followed by improved knowledge, awareness, and attitude.
Activities
- Workshops and tours that address climate change and BMPs that will increase awareness and include measurable practices that can be adopted to reduce waste, and supply chain disruption, without negatively impacting growing systems and production.
Evaluation
- Post-workshop surveys will be administered to participants; the number of BMPs implemented will be tracked; the added value and savings based on information shared by the participant will be tracked.
In order to participate in the NCR-SARE regional initiative for 2023-24, one of our state initiative focus areas will be “Underserved Farmers Engaging in Sustainable Agriculture Initiatives.” Activities under this topic may include workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming. During the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that provides professional development for underserved farmers and ranchers on programs related to sustainable agriculture.
A minimum of 25 underserved farmers & ranchers will adopt sustainable practices that will lead to improved soil health, pest management, and overall business success.
- This will include workshops On:
- Business planning
- Pest identification and scouting
- Soil sampling and interpreting the results of the soil fertility reports
- Other sustainable topics as needs are identified
Activity
- 25 Workshops and tours that address the needs of underserved farmers will increase awareness of sustainable agricultural production and include measurable practices that can be adopted to improve sustainable production through the adoption of best management practices that reduce the demand for fossil fuels.
Evaluation
- Post-workshop surveys will be administered to participants; the number of BMPs implemented will be tracked.
Extension Educators, Specialists, and Program Assistants will become knowledgeable about sustainable agriculture and SARE programs and resources.1) Extension Educators, Specialists, and Program Assistants will become knowledgeable about sustainable agriculture and SARE programs and resources.
- Sustainable agriculture training will be incorporated into new-employee training conducted by OSU and CSU Extension, and one-on-one follow-up support sessions will be conducted for new hires. Each new hire will receive a Sustainable Agriculture Teaching/Learning Kit.
- A half-day workshop on SARE and agricultural sustainability will be conducted for the ANR educators hired by CSU.
Evaluation: Retrospective pre and post-program analysis will be conducted to measure knowledge gained.
Timeline: On-going in 2023 and 2024 as new faculty and staff are hired.
Collaborative workshop for new CSU- E ANR educators with OSU-E cohorts.